DUBAI — England’s Joe Root and India’s Jasprit Bumrah are among the four finalists competing for the title of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) men’s player of the year.
The other two nominees introduced by the ICC on Monday are Harry Brook from England and Australia’s Travis Head.
Bumrah has made a significant impact with his exceptional fast bowling throughout the year. He delivered an outstanding performance by taking 5 wickets for 57 runs in the fourth test against Australia, which concluded with a thrilling win for the Australians on Monday.
This achievement marked his 13th five-wicket haul in test matches, bringing his total to 203 test wickets at a remarkable average of 19.42.
In 2023 alone, Bumrah secured 71 wickets over the course of 13 matches, averaging an impressive 14.92.
Additionally, he played a crucial role in India’s success during the T20 World Cup, where he took 15 wickets to help his team earn their second championship title.
On the other hand, Root has had a phenomenal year with the bat, amassing 1,556 runs in 17 test matches with an average of 55.57.
This marks the fifth occasion he has surpassed 1,000 test runs within a calendar year.
His standout performance included six centuries, featuring a personal best of 262 runs, which elevated his total to 36 test centuries, tying him with Rahul Dravid for fifth place on the all-time list.
Moreover, he eclipsed Alastair Cook, becoming England’s highest run-scorer with a total of 12,972 runs.
Harry Brook demonstrated his batting prowess by scoring 1,100 runs in 12 tests, maintaining a strike rate of 85.00.
His ability to strike powerfully and adapt under pressure was evident, particularly when he scored a remarkable 317 runs off 322 balls against Pakistan on a flat pitch in Multan, where Root also achieved his 262 runs during their historic 453-run partnership.
Travis Head distinguished himself with his dynamic and aggressive batting style in both test and T20 formats.
The women’s nominees for the same accolade include South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, along with Australian allrounder Annabel Sutherland and New Zealand’s Melie Kerr.
Wolvaardt had an impressive run this year, accumulating 697 runs in 12 One Day Internationals (ODIs) with an astonishing average of 87.12, including a highest score of 184 not out.
She also scored 223 runs in three tests, averaging 37.16 and achieving a top score of 122.
Athapaththu contributed significantly with her batting, scoring 458 runs in nine ODIs at an average of 65.42, with a personal best of 195 runs.
In T20 matches, she secured 720 runs and claimed 21 wickets, with her best bowling performance being 4 wickets for 29 runs.